The Most Daring Raid of World War II: D-Day Pointe-du-HocOne of the legendary raids in military history the U.S. Army Rangers attack on the German gun battery on Pointe-du-Hoc in Normandy on D-day in 1944 is vividly presented in this action-packed account. This book focuses on the World War II mission to scale the cliffs overlooking Omaha beach and to assault the German coastal artillery at Pointe-du-Hoc. The beginning construction of the site, the Allies planning, and the battle are retold in dramatic detail, and are supported by 3D maps, period photographs, color photographs, and interviews with survivors. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 4 |
The Raiding Force | 22 |
Securing PointeduHoc The Artillery Threat 40 | 40 |
The Crazy March to PointeduHoc | 55 |
Common terms and phrases
116th Infantry 29th Division 2nd Ranger Battalion 5th Ranger Battalion 5th Rangers 743rd Tank Battalion Advance force air attack Allied intelligence amphibious assault began bombers bombing Capt casemates casualties cliff edge coast coastal artillery coastal batteries command post companies craters D-Day Dog Green du-Hoc DUKW Eikner German attack German counterattack German positions Grandcamp road grenades gun pits H679 Casemate James Earl Rudder June Kriegsmarine ladder Ladder-DUKWs landing craft LCA Flotilla located lower Normandy machine gun machine gun fire Maisy batteries mission mortar fire NARA naval bombardment observation bunker officer Omaha Beach Operation Flashlamp Operation Neptune patrol perimeter Pointe-du Pointe-du-Hoc battery pre-dawn radar radio raid Ranger advance Ranger Force Rangers landed Regiment relief force ropes Rudder sector St.-Pierre-du-Mont strongpoint Stützpunkt Vierville targets U.S. Army Utah Beach Vierville Vierville draw Vire Vire River western Flak bunker western side wounded